Here are five things to know from our reporting:
1. Security concerns: The last NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Montreal in November was marred by protesters crashing with police. It was a violent scene, with smashed storefront windows and cars set ablaze. In this story, reporter Cornelius Frolik looks at whether Dayton could see such chaos and what’s being done to prepare.
2. NATO village: Partially in response to what happened in Montreal, event organizers are establishing a “NATO village” encompassing much of downtown Dayton where foreign delegates will meet. Access to this area will be restricted. Go here for a map of the secure area and what it means for downtown businesses.
3. World stage: The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is coming to Dayton as NATO itself faces an existential crisis over how to respond to the war in Ukraine. In this story, we look at how Dayton will be on the world stage during a historic time amid debate over how to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe since NATO was formed after World War II.
4. Local venues: CareSource properties and the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center will host NATO events, with a possible closing celebration at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. This story looks at what this means for those venues. They will also host cultural events such as a “Concert of Peace” featuring the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra.
5. Price tag: U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, was instrumental in bringing the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton (he wrote this recent column about NATO and Ukraine), and obtained $2 million in federal funds to help pay for it. The state of Ohio is spending another $5.3 million for security.
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